Chapter 99: The Most Ordinary Dish, The Supreme Delicacy
’This Mapo Tofu looks absolutely delicious.’
’It looks even better than any Mapo Tofu I’ve ever had before.’
’I have to try it now.’
The table was set with spoons. Zhou Yang and his four friends each picked one up, scooped a spoonful, and brought it to their mouths.
Instantly, a symphony of sensations—numbing, spicy, fragrant, savory, crisp, tender, and hot—exploded in their mouths.
The five of them were instantly thrilled.
Because it was just too good!
It was an unparalleled delicacy, a satisfaction they had never experienced before.
It was delicious, addictive, and utterly exhilarating.
This Mapo Tofu was simply divine. It was worlds better than any Mapo Tofu they had ever eaten.
There was a saying that Mapo Tofu embodied an eight-word maxim: "numbing, spicy, hot, fragrant, crisp, tender, savory, and lively."
They had always thought that was an exaggeration.
’Sure, Mapo Tofu is good, but does it really live up to those eight words?’
But now, the Mapo Tofu before them embodied those eight words to perfection.
So, the eight-word maxim for Mapo Tofu wasn’t an exaggeration after all.
The reason other versions of Mapo Tofu failed to measure up was simply because the chefs weren’t skilled enough.
’This must be what truly authentic Mapo Tofu tastes like, right?’
The five of them grew excited at the thought.
They never expected to find truly authentic Mapo Tofu in a small, rustic shop like this.
So this was how wonderful and delicious authentic Mapo Tofu could be.
No wonder Mapo Tofu was so famous, even becoming a signature dish of Sichuan cuisine.
It was truly extraordinary.
’So the food at this place really is incredible.’
’The rumors about this place at school were true. They weren’t exaggerations at all.’
With just one dish, Zhou Yang and his four friends were completely convinced.
They also finally understood why Liu Xu and his group would drive two and a half hours to eat at such a remote place.
Because it was truly worth it.
’Maybe we’ll start making special trips here to eat, too.’
And no wonder Xia Xiaoyue came here to eat so often.
’Wait a minute... does that mean... Xia Xiaoyue comes here all the time just because the food is good, not because she’s interested in the owner?’
’Yes, that must be it.’
At this thought, the clouds hanging over the five of them instantly parted.
They felt an indescribable sense of relief and joy. If they could, they would have burst out laughing without a care in the world.
The Mapo Tofu in front of them somehow seemed even more delicious now.
Incredible!
At the same time, their anticipation for the upcoming Twice-cooked Pork with Green Peppers and Shredded Potato Stir-fry grew immense.
Soon enough, Li You brought out both dishes.
The five of them immediately picked up a piece of the twice-cooked pork and put it in their mouths.
Instantly, their mouths were filled with fragrance.
It was far more fragrant and delicious than any twice-cooked pork they had ever had.
Next, they tried a bite of the shredded potato stir-fry.
Even this incredibly common and simple homestyle dish felt like a gourmet delicacy to them.
’Who knew shredded potato stir-fry could be this delicious?’
It was simply unbelievable!
The more they ate, the more excited they became, silently thanking their lucky stars they had come here today.
They really had to thank Mu Qingye for taking that set of photos of the wild Red-crowned Cranes.
Otherwise, they would have never come here.
And they might never have discovered that such a magical restaurant was hidden away in these remote mountains.
’How many incredible dishes would we have missed out on?’
’We really are lucky.’
’Speaking of which, it’s hard to believe the boss is so young yet possesses such godlike cooking skills.’
’Just how talented a chef is he?’
’It’s impossible to imagine!’
As these thoughts ran through their minds, they devoured one bowl of rice after another.
In the end, each of them had eaten four whole bowls of rice and were completely stuffed.
They would have to rest for a while before they could leave.
They decided to take this opportunity to ask the owner about the wild Red-crowned Cranes.
"Boss, excuse me," Zhou Yang said to Li You. "If we wanted to take pictures of the wild Red-crowned Cranes, where would we usually be able to find them?"
Hearing Zhou Yang ask about the Red-crowned Cranes, Li You thought, ’So they came for the cranes.’
’In that case, they must be students from the Xingshui Academy of Fine Arts.’
’And the reason they know about the cranes must be because Mu Qingye’s photos from yesterday have spread around the academy.’
At this thought, Li You smiled slightly and said, "You must be students from the Xingshui Academy of Fine Arts, right? Have Mu Qingye’s photos of the Red-crowned Cranes from yesterday already spread around your school?"
Hearing this, the five of them glanced at each other, all thinking, ’This boss is sharp.’
Zhou Yang then replied, "You’re right, Boss. We saw Mu Qingye’s photos and wanted to come take some pictures of the wild Red-crowned Cranes ourselves."
Li You nodded. "The wild Red-crowned Cranes appear in the gorge. You can try looking for them there. But whether you find them or not will depend on your luck. Also, there are many deep pools in the gorge, so be sure to stay safe."
Zhou Yang nodded. "Thanks, Boss, we’ll be careful. Also, Boss, your food is just too good. I’ve seriously never eaten anything this delicious."
Li You smiled. "I’m glad you like it."
After chatting for a little longer, Zhou Yang and his friends felt they had rested enough, so they paid the bill, got up, and said their goodbyes.
They were off to the gorge to look for the wild Red-crowned Cranes.
It was 11:30 AM, still relatively early.
’Another wave of customers should be arriving soon.’
Sure enough, the shop owners from the market in town started to arrive one after another.
And this time, they all brought their families with them.
The restaurant, both inside and out, once again became bustling with activity.
"Haha! Boss Li, have you made that fermented glutinous rice yet?" asked Wang Dongliang, the owner of the general store.
Li You had bought the glutinous rice and fermentation starter from him just yesterday.
Li You smiled. "I’ve made it. It’s fermenting right now."
Wang Dongliang nodded. "This weather is perfect for making fermented glutinous rice. Just let it ferment at room temperature."
"Indeed," Li You said.
Wang Dongliang added, "I brought my family with me today. I wanted them to have a taste of Boss Li’s cooking."
Li You smiled. "I’m honored."
"We should be the ones honored to eat your food, Boss Li," Wang Dongliang said. "Boss Li, one Mapo Tofu, one Boiled Cabbage in Broth, one Twice-cooked Pork with Garlic Sprouts, and five large bowls of Beef Noodle Soup."
Besides Wang Dongliang, the other shop owners like Zhao Yu, Deng Luping, and Xie Hai also placed their orders.
After noting everything down, Li You went into the kitchen and started cooking.
As each dish came out of the kitchen, the family members of the various shop owners were, unsurprisingly, incredibly surprised and excited.
They exclaimed that they never expected to find a restaurant with such delicious food in a place like this.
As residents of Wenxian Town, they were all in for a treat from now on.
The more they thought about it, the happier they became.
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